Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest Picks, Odds, and EPL Betting Analysis — Reds to Storm to Win on Iraola’s Anfield Debut
- When: Saturday, August 29, 2026. 7:30 AM ET
- Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England
- How to Watch: NBC
Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest EPL Preview
The first match of the 2026-27 Premier League season at Anfield is set for August 29, as Liverpool bid to bounce back from an opening day draw against Newcastle when they face Nottingham Forest. The Reds will be heavily favored at the best soccer betting sites in Andoni Iraola’s first home match in charge against Nottingham Forest, but will the Anfield club gain a first victory of the campaign this Saturday?
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Iraola Tasked With Finding The Balance In The Liverpool Midfield
Andoni Iraola will take charge of Liverpool in a competitive match at Anfield for the first time on Saturday. However, the Spaniard will have a couple of issues that will need to be addressed following an opening day draw against Newcastle.
Despite dominating the ball and creating the clearest openings, the Reds constantly looked unbalanced in the middle of the field, allowing Newcastle to get a lot of joy on the counterattack. A midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Florian Wirtz doesn’t appear to have the mobility to flourish in the EPL, with all stars typically looking to play on the frontfoot.
They offer limited coverage to the back four, which is a major concern given the lack of mobility that Virgil van Dijk has in this modern day. More will also be expected of Alexander Isak, who struggled against his former club on MD1.
Likely Lineup:
(4-2-3-1) Alisson (GK); Frimpong, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Ngumoha, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Isak
Glasner Searching for First Win at Nottingham Forest
It could be a testing campaign for Nottingham Forest under Oliver Glasner, as the Tricky Trees struggled in their new-look 3-4-2-1 formation on MD1 against Leeds United.
Forest had the majority of the ball, but they could only muster two shots on target. The system appeared to unsuit influential attacking players such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye, who were forced to play more centrally in order to allow Ola Aina and Neco Williams to find space in the wide areas.
Time isn’t likely to be afforded to Glasner given Forest’s reputation for getting through managers, but incoming signings before Monday’s deadline could ultimately prove crucial in getting wins on the board.
Likely Lineup:
(3-4-2-1) Sels (GK); Cunha, Murillo, Milenkovic; Aina, Sangare, McAtee, Williams; Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
Head-to-Head Stats
- Liverpool have won five of the seven head-to-head encounters between these sides at Anfield.
- Nottingham Forest have won four of their 14 EPL clashes against Liverpool.
- Forest have avoided defeat in three of the last four head-to-head clashes.
Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest EPL Picks
Nottingham Forest’s counterattacking style of play will likely cause issues for Liverpool based on the hosts’ struggles against Newcastle last weekend. However, with home advantage, the Reds should be set to purr in Iraola’s first match at Anfield. Therefore, based on the strength of the Liverpool forward players, it is challenging to overlook the prospect of Liverpool covering the spread on Saturday.
